Twelve months away from the FIFA World Cup, and it's crunch time for Javier Aguirre as he looks to decide on a final squad to take to the finals, which they will be co-hosting with the US and Canada.
As El Trí prepare for what is set to be a special 2026, it's been a 2025 to remember. Champions of both the Concacaf Nations League and Gold Cup, Aguirre has restored Mexico's position at the top of the continental tree.
This past weekend, Mexico kept hold of their Gold Cup title, coming from behind to defeat Mauricio Pochettino's US in Houston, with goals from Raúl Jiménez and Edson Álvarez.
Now that the Gold Cup has come to an end, which players made the biggest impression for the champions?
5. Marcel Ruíz - Toluca
One player who cemented themself, not just as a Mexican international, but as a regular starter, is Toluca's Marcel Ruíz. After a league-winning campaign with Toluca, the 24-year-old brought that mentality to the national team.
As a box-to-box midfielder whose work often goes under the radar, Ruiz displayed a level of balance and consistency that made him a starter in all bar the opening game of the competition.
To top off a special summer for the young midfielder, Ruíz grabbed the assist for Mexico's equaliser against the United States in the final with a perfectly placed through ball into Raúl Jiménez.
4. Alexis Vega - Toluca
At the heart of Mexico's attack was Alexis Vega. Like Ruiz, the 27-year-old lifted Mexico's highest domestic honour and was steadily introduced to the summer international duties.
The Toluca winger netted once and picked up an assist in the competition but the underlying statistics highlight his value, with 11 successful dribbles, 12 key chances created and 15 key crosses, one of which setting up the winning goal for Mexico in the final whilst putting an inch-perfect ball into the box to force a Saudi Arabia own goal.
3. Raúl Jiménez - Fulham
On the lips of all Mexican football fans, the comeback of Raúl Jiménez is a story that will be remembered for the ages. A player whose career seemed to be fading right before us has come back to put the nation on his back.
Rising to the occasion in both the semi-final and the final, Jiménez scored three goals in the six games to cement his status as one of the most prolific in both Mexican and Concacaf history.
2. Gilberto Mora - Tijuana
16-year-old Gilberto Mora has caught the attention of the world with his performances at the Gold Cup. The Tijuana midfielder broke records left, right and centre to become Mexico's youngest ever player, but the limelight never seemed to faze him.
Benched throughout the group stages, it seemed as if his chance would come and go, but Javier Aguirre relied on the young star in the knockout rounds, where he set up the only goal of the game in the semi-final against Honduras to become the youngest ever in the competition's history.
His performances when it mattered most showed that this is only the beginning for Gilberto Mora.
1. Edson Álvarez - West Ham United
Edson Álvarez, named Player of the Tournament, captained Mexico to a historic tenth Gold Cup title.
The West Ham United midfielder set the tone for the campaign by scoring the opening goal of the tournament, and fittingly brought it to a close by netting the decisive goal in the final.
Between those standout moments, Álvarez was ever-reliable, ever-present, playing every single minute of Mexico’s Gold Cup journey. Anchoring the midfield with authority, he recorded 31 ball recoveries, won 30 duels, and maintained an impressive 86% pass completion rate.
Mexico secured four clean sheets across six matches, and while the entire squad contributed to their success, Álvarez was undeniably at the heart of everything that went right for El Trí this summer.
Who was your player of the tournament? Let us know!